Police turn power thieves in Gurgaon

The police station in Gurgaon’s Sushant Lok does not have a proper power connection, but a little ‘improvisation’ has ensured officers don’t have to sweat it out. An HT investigation has revealed that the premises is presently drawing electricity from an adjacent five-star hotel.

The police station in Gurgaon’s Sushant Lok does not have a proper power connection, but a little ‘improvisation’ has ensured officers don’t have to sweat it out. An HT investigation has revealed that the premises is presently drawing electricity from an adjacent five-star hotel.

This is not an exception. Many a police station in the millennium city, including workplaces of such high-ranking officials as assistant and deputy commissioners, is being powered by stolen electricity. And they do not have any meters at all.

These police establishments are either drawing power from electricity poles, or borrowing from private users. A few others are at the mercy of the electricity department that has decided to indulge in largesse while otherwise complaining of transmission losses and crying foul about overuse by ordinary inhabitants of Gurgaon.

“I had come to know of police premises functioning without electricity meters a while ago, and had instructed the then joint commissioner of police (headquarters) to look into the matter and arrange for connections and meters,” said police commissioner Alok Mittal.

The office of the deputy commissioner of police (east) and assistant commissioner of police (DLF), located near the upmarket Galleria Shopping Complex, does not have an authorised electricity connection either.

HT has learnt from the departmental records that there was a meter, but it was removed by the electricity department owing to non-payment of bills. As of now, power is being obtained from an adjacent private establishment.

Meanwhile, Sanjeev Chopra, executive engineer of the state-owned electric utility company Dakshin Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam (DHBVN), said he had brought the matter to the notice of Mittal, who had ordered the then JCP (HQ) to act on the issue. “Most police stations and other offices had been covered at the time. If any have been left out, I will again bring this up with the CP and we will install meters,” he added.

The sector-29 police station, too, is having a gala time without any meter to account for power usage. Police records say an electricity meter was in place but, like at the DCP (east) office, it was confiscated by the electricity department due to defaults. According to information available, power is being supplied by the department against a special request. The situation at the sector-56 police station is identical.

On the outskirts of Gurgaon city, the Bilaspur police station –one of the busiest – does not have an electricity meter installed.

Interestingly, as per police records, it is drawing electricity from the power connection of a nearby tube well.